Category Archives: Eschatology

Because of the Times

extra-newsNo, this is not a post about the conference held every year. It is a post about these verses of scripture:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.” (2 Tim 3:1–9 KJV)

All we need to do is look around us to see that we are in the days talked about by Paul.

End of the world- As we know it

Hmm… What to write as the last day of the earth approaches. Well, how about this: 

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matt 24:32–25:13 KJV)

There is a lot of talk going around about the end of days. My advise is this: Only God knows the day and hour that Jesus Christ is to return for His church. The Mayan calendar will not tell us this date. In fact, the Gregorian calendar will not tell us this date. Neither will discerning this date via the stars reveal the date that Jesus is to return, but when we look and see what is going on around us, then we can discern that the time is close.

Are you prepared? If you have the slightest doubt if you are prepared or not, now is the time to make sure your salvation.

Phil. 2:12   Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Rom. 13:11   And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Eschatological Jesus or Non-Eschatological Jesus

While reading Four Portraits, One Jesus some time ago, I read the arguments for and against an eschatological kingdom as preached by Jesus.  The author breaks this down into five portraits of Jesus as painted by various scholars. These are:

  1. Cynic-like philosopher (proponents, most of the Jesus Seminar).
  2. Spirit-endowed holy man.
  3. A social revolutionary
  4. An eschatological prophet
  5. Messiah

The cynic-like philosopher portrays Jesus as a poet-peasant who challenged the social conventions of His day. The largest advocate of this theory is the Jesus Seminar.

The spirit filled holy man theory states Jesus was able to perform extraordinary things due to His close intimacy with God. The biggest proponent today is Geza Vermes who wrote the book Jesus the Jew.

Jesus as a social revolutionary is a modern conception which describes Jesus as a revolutionary seeking the violent overthrow of the Roman rule of Israel. They view Jesus as a grass roots sort of person trying to over throw oppressive Roman rule. Richard Horsley‘s Jesus and the Spiral of Violence describes this view.

One of the more widely held views today is the portrait of Jesus as an eschatological prophet heralding the coming end of the world. J. Weiss was a founding father of this view of Jesus.

Messiah views Jesus as a man who came to fulfill a specific task i.e. the redemption of man.

Which view do you hold?  I’ll be examining each view more completely in upcoming posts, so stay tuned!

Source:

Definitions taken from Four Portraits, One Jesus by Mark L. Strauss copyright 2007 published by Zondervan Press

Mid-Tribulation: One View

With so many people worried about Dec 21, 2012 I think it is appropriate to discuss a little about the book of Revelation of Jesus Christ. According to Revelation chapter eleven, there will be two witnesses on the earth. These two witnesses will bear witness for exactly 3.5 years. This is approximately half of the time Daniel prophesies about in the book of Daniel chapter seven.

Dan 9:26 “ And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

Notice Daniel’s prophesy: In the middle of the last week we see a pause. A week in this vision represents a seven year period. This correlates to chapter eleven in Revelation. The middle of the seventieth week brings an end to sacrifice and offering. Why would this happen? Maybe because the two witnesses are martyred and dragged through the streets.

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
Rev 11:2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
Rev 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
Rev 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Rev 11:11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
Rev 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

The two witnesses are a type and shadow of the two witnesses seen at the building of the second temple, i.e. Joshua and Zerubbabel. These represent the civic and spiritual authorities in power at the time of the building of the temple. Compare Revelation chapter eleven to the following scripture found in Zechariah.

Zec 4:1 Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.
Zec 4:2 And he said to me, “What do you see?”
So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.
Zec 4:3 Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.”
Zec 4:4 So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”
Zec 4:5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
Zec 4:6 So he answered and said to me: “ This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘ Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.
Zec 4:7 ‘ Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
Zec 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Zec 4:9 “ The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.
Zec 4:10 For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.”
Zec 4:11 Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees–at the right of the lampstand and at its left?”
Zec 4:12 And I further answered and said to him, “What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?”
Zec 4:13 Then he answered me and said, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.”
Zec 4:14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.”

In the last days, man will pour out his wrath upon all who bear the name of Jesus as the Messiah. Those who proclaim the message of the savior as Jesus and none other will be persecuted with a vengeance never before seen. Then, at the middle of this seventieth week, we will see a turn. Jesus will come and God’s wrath will be poured upon the earth. The elements will melt with a fervent heat and the bride of Christ, the church, will be reunited with the groom: Our Lord and Savior; Jesus Christ.